Gang manufacturing arms busted
Kin of Akali leader heldLudhiana, January 12In a case exposing political patronage to criminals, the district police has busted a gang of four members, one of them a kin of a Ropar-based Akali leader, allegedly involved in manufacturing country-made pistols in a factory at Transport Nagar here.

Illegal road blocks lead to clashLudhiana, January 12 prevailing in an upcoming colony in Sarabha Nagar Extension and nearby areas near Daad village for the past two weeks over the construction of some walls on roads by a former owner of the land escalated today.

One of the walls built illegally near Sarabha Nagar Extension and (right) a dug-up road near the colony.
—Photos Inderjeet Verma

Confusion over petrol priceLudhiana, January 12Unlike in the past when any hike in the prices of diesel and petrol was given immediate effect, a number of petrol pumps in the city were reluctant to sell petrol at slashed prices announced by the Union Government last night. As a result, confusion prevailed among city residents about the price.

Water
mills closing down graduallyAhmedgarh, January 12The micro-hydel power plants, being installed by the
Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), have resulted in the closing
down of the nearby water mills (gharats) one by one.

Ludhiana, January 12The zeal and enthusiasm of the Election Commission of India to provide voter ID cards to all eligible voters in the country notwithstanding, a family of three eligible voters here has been undergoing an ordeal for the past over five years, first to get the cards issued and thereafter to get the ID cards, which carried several mistakes, corrected.

The voter’s I-cards issued in 1996 to Mr Sood and his daughter carry several mistakes.

‘SAD-BJP raising bogey of terrorism’Ludhiana, January 12The District Youth Congress (DYC) today charged the ruling SAD-BJP combine with raising the bogey of terrorism and religious fanaticism to exploit the sentiments of the masses in the wake of coming assembly elections in the state.

Ludhiana, January 12There is a touch of colour to the Ludhiana market. Shops, especially grocery stores, are full of kites during the Lohri festival. One can see shopkeepers decorating their shops with kites of different types, sizes and colours to attract customers. They know this is the right time to attract customers and make good profit.

On Lohri, spirits are up, so, kites should go the same way. —Photos Rajesh Bhambi

LSS to launch agitation against govt inactionLudhiana, January 12The Ludhiana Sewa Sangh has decided to launch an agitation against the failure of the Punjab government for not implementing the Punjab and Haryana High Court directive issued after a PIL was submitted by the sangh.

Love blooms in Rose Garden. —Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Burgled office not of LICLudhiana, January 12After a burglary at the office of an insurance company in Miller Gunj here, the police is now saying that it suspects that the statements of company officials, that burglars entered through the rear window, to be false.

Young Voice
‘I want to serve humanity’IN this era of cut-throat competition when youngsters are interested in vocational education and want to settle in life as soon as possible, here is a girl who is interested in solving psychological problems as stress and tension have become part due to urban lifestyle.

Kite-flying
competitionLudhiana, January 12A kite flying competition was organised here today by the Youth Services Club working under the Directorate of Youth Services with the help of Rameshwar Public School, Shiv Puri, Ludhiana.

Smuggler bookedAhmedgarh, January 12The Dehlon police has registered two separate cases against Sunder of Ujairi (Jalalabad) under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act (Sections 25, 54 and 59). According to Mr Sikander Singh, SHO, the accused was caught carrying one-and-a-half kg of opium and a knife.

‘Drunk’ cop
fires at
rickshaw-pullerLudhiana, January 12A “drunk” policeman shot at a rickshaw-puller near Begowal village last night. The injured rickshaw-puller, Ganga Ram, was admitted to the local Civil Hospital.

Mixed reaction to move on excise dutyLudhiana, January 12The industrial associations here have expressed concern over the Union Cabinet’s recent decision to enhance its emergency powers to increase excise duty without any limit. They say that increase in excise duty on the local-made products will hit the industry which is already reeling under recession.

Principal fails to appear again
Ludhiana, January 12While an inquiry is being conducted by the Punjab Government into a complaint lodged by Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, chief of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), against Ms Madhu Prashar, Principal of the Dev Samaj College for Women at Ferozepore, Ms Madhu failed to appear before the inquiry officer, Mr H.R. Gangar, Additional Secretary Higher Education of Punjab, here today for the second time.

‘Follow Vivekananda’s teachings’Ludhiana, January 12Swami Vivekananda Study Circle here today recalled Swami Vivekananda’s historic words on the occasion of the National Youth Day at Shefali Public School here.

Ludhiana, January 12Youth Club of the Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women celebrated Lohri with traditional zeal and fervour. Students attired in colourful traditional costumes danced around the bonfire which was lit by the Principal, Dr Madanjit Kaur Sahota, amidst the traditional fanfare and gaiety.

Students of Master Tara Singh College celebrate Lohri in Ludhiana on Saturday.
—Photos Inderjeet Verma

Nehru House excel in athletics meetLudhiana, January 12Nehru House in the boys section and Tagore House in the girls section emerged victorious in the 4x100 m relay race in the annual athletics meet of the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Bhai Randhir Randhir Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, held on Friday. Mr Didar Singh, a 1982 Barcelona Olympics hockey star, inaugurated the meet and also gave away prizes to the participants.

Ludhiana, January 12Paddlers of the Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana have brought laurels by winning the fourth position in the boys section (u-19) of the National CBSE Table Tennis Championship held at Bhillai recently.
The table tennis team of Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, that has got fourth position in boys section (U-19) of the National CBSE Table Tennis Championship.
—RB

Sisters selected for skating meetLudhiana, January 12Two sisters, Suranshi Thukral and Rinthikha Thukral, students of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, have been selected for the National Skating Championship scheduled to be held at Vishakhapatnam from January 15 to 20.

Function to honour sportspersons

Police to
promote hockey teamsAhmedgarh, January 12The Jagraon police has decided to promote 40 hockey teams in rural areas of the district and to provide services of expert coaches to those educational institutions who want to introduce regular hockey for their students.